Memoir of Dr. Thomas Young. 407 



the union of Davy, Wollaston, Young, Herschel, Kater, 

 and Pond, but a number of individuals who were subser- 

 vient to a Boeotian influence. The Nautical Almanac, 

 already so celebrated, had become an object of disgrace to 

 the English nation. If a typographical error was disco- 

 vered in it, as there always will be in a large volume of 

 cyphers, the British navy, from the smallest sloop to the 

 largest decker, was about to be swallowed up in the depths 

 of the ocean. 



It has been asserted that the principal promoter of these 

 foolish exaggerations could not detect any considerable 

 errors in the Nautical Almanac, after having fruitlessly 

 endeavoured to collect them for the Board of Longitude. 

 I do not know if the fact is correct. In every case it is 

 improper to re-echo the reports of malice. I cannot forget 

 that for several years the member of the Royal Society, 

 who has been mentioned, nobly devoted a large portion of 

 his princely fortune to the advancement of science. 



This plausible astronomer, like all philosophers whose 

 minds are concentrated upon one object, unfortunately and 

 inexcusably appeared to exaggerate subjects to which he 

 had directed his attention ; but he ought to be found fault 

 with for not recollecting that his exaggerations would be 

 taken seriously by many. He forgot that in all countries, 

 and at all times, there exists a great number of individuals 

 who, distressed at their own obscurity, seize as their prey 

 every opportunity of scandal ; and, under the mask of the 

 public good, criticise, without mercy, those of their cotem- 

 poraries whose celebrity proclaims their success. At Rome, 

 he who was charged with insulting a victorious general 

 was a slave; at London, distinguished philosophers were 

 cruelly attacked by a member of the House of Commons. 



The abolition of the Board of Longitude was speedily 

 the consequence. The health of Young, which had been 

 delicate, declined after this sad period with great rapidity. 

 The able physicians who attended him speedily lost all 

 hope of him. He was conscious of his approaching end, 

 and viewed it with admirable calmness. Till his last hour 

 lie was occupied, without ceasing, with his Egyptian Dic- 

 tionary, then in the press, and which was not published 

 till after his death. When his strength would not allow 



